Loading and unloading apparatus



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ril 13 1926.

H. ENARD LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1922 INVENTOR MApril 13 1926.

' H. ENARD LOADING AND UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet I5 April 13,1926. 7 1,586,556

- H. ENARD LOADING .AND UNLGADING APPARATUS Filed Dad. 14, 1922 5sheets-shat L Patented A r.; .13, 1926.

' N I TED ST ."PATEN-T OFFICE.

' ums mania; or rnrsnunen', rmmsnvam, nssfreno'n r ruin. a rA'm-Easou,

me, or PITTSBURGH, rmsrnvanm,a oonronamxon or rnmwsrrv'ama.

LOADING AND unnoann ve APPARATUS.

Application filed December 14, 1922. Serial No. 608,805.

ticularl to an apparatus of-this character especia 1y adapted to theloading and un loading of barges, vessels and the likewith coal or othermaterial such as is usually handled in bulk. a I

It has heretofore been proposed to handle material'in bulk by systems ofconveyors,-

' buckets and the likeybut considerable dif- 'ficulty has usually beenexperienced in the operation of such apparatus due to the lack ofvoperating flexibility therein. Where.

grab buckets have been utilized, it has been a complete circle andthereby unload a vessel on one side of the barge" carrying theapparatus, and load directly; into a vesselo'n the. opposite side j'ofthe barge From a practical standpoint, however, such; an operation is sounsatisfactory that) usually a vessel is unloaded into a barge,

and then the barge in turn is unloaded into the vessel which is tov beloaded.

[I By'the present invention, there 'is provided apparatus ofconsiderable operating flexibility in whichthe foregoing objections areobviated and by means of which the handling of material in' bulk isfacilitated.

In the accompanying drawingsther'eare shown, forpurposes of illustrationonly,

certain embodiments of "this invention, 7 it being understood that thedrawings do not define the, limits ofthe invention and that 4 changes inthe construction and operation away; of the construction illustrated inpossible to swing the bucket crane through permits the vessels to besecurely held in respect to the barge.

illustrates an apparatus which may be advantageously used in thismanner, although disclosed herein may be made without degrammatic,illustrating one form of apparatus embodying the invention and unloadinga vessel on one side of the barge and loading a vessel on the oppositeside thereof;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly broken Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic top plan View, on an enlarged scale, of theapparatus of Figure 1, the parts being in different relative operatingsitions; 60

Figures 4 an 5 are detail views, partly in section, on an enlargedscale, illustrating one of .the adjusting mechanisms for the loadingtrimmer; r

1 Figure 6 isa diagrammatic view illustrating the operating connectionsfor the bucket crane Fi ure 7 is a detailview' of a portion of the ucketcrane illustrating the pivotal mounting therefor;

Fi ure 8 is a. detail sectional view on the lIIII'-VIII of Figure 8;Figure 9 is a top planview of the construction shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a sideelevationof a slightly line modified form of theinvention;

. Figure 11 is an end view of the construction' shown in Figure 10; and

' Figure 12 is a detail view of the trimmer conveyor.

In the loading and" unloading of vessels, it is frequently desirable tolace the barge carrying the unloading "an loading apparatus directlybetween the-ve'ssels. This position with respect to each other and withThe present invention it is adapted to other uses where traveling cranesand material handling apparatus are required. i

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a barge 2having longitudinally extending tracks 3 on its deck located on oppositesides of the hatchway 4. Mounted on the tracks 3 is a traveling. orportable frame 5. The traveling frame is preferably equipped with adriving mechanism of the rope haulage type. This mechanism may comprisean operating motor 6 carried by the frame and connected to drums 7 whichcooperate with the ropes or cables 8 dead-ended adjacent opposite endsof the barge. With this construction, the operation of the motor 6 willbe effective for moving the frame in one direction or the other, as maybe desired, and at the same time will be effective for preventingsliding of the frame on the track due to any inclination of the deck ofthe barge. It will be apparent, however, that other forms of propellingmechanisms may be utilized if deemed desirable.

Projecting upwardly from a substantially central portion of the frame 5,is a supporting arm 9. This arm may conveniently be substantiallyC-shaped, having a lower horizontally extending portion 10 and an upperhorizontally extending portion 11. The lower portion 10 is provided withsupport-- ing and traction wheels 12 adapted to cooperate with asuitable trackway provided on the under side of the frame 5. It is alsoprovided with a second set of wheels 13 cooperating with a trackway onthe upper surface of the frame 5. The wheels 13 may conveniently beutilized as driving wheels by operatively connecting thereto a motor 14,in any well known manner, efleetive for turning the supporting arm 9bodily about its bearing in the traveling frame.

Rotatably mounted on the upper portion 11 of the supporting arm is aconveyor or grab bucket crane 15. This crane may com-- prise a platform16' extending substantially parallel to the portion 11 and pivotallyconnected thereto in line with the vertically extending ortion of theC-shaped supporting arm. gurrounding the axis of rotation of the bucketcrane, is a fixed gear 17 with which meshes a pinion 18 adapted to bedriven by a motor 19 on the platform 1-6 for rotating the bucket crane.This construction permits the crane, in turn, to be rotated to anydesired position about its pivotal axis. As the axes of the bucket craneand of the supporting arm are offset one with respect to the other, itwill be apparcut that the different parts of the apparatus may be movedto a pluraliy of different operating positions and the parts of themechanismoperated while in any of these positions. This insures aconsiderable degree of flexibility, thereby adapting the apparatusto'the loading and unloading of vessels. H

Carried by the longerarm and normally outer end of the crane, is atrolley runway 20. This runway, as illustrated more particularly inFigures 6 to 9, may comprise a channel beam of substantially l-shapeupon the lower flange of which is adapted strains from the bucket craneduring swinging movements thereof about its pivotal mounting. Theshorter and normally inner end of the bucket crane carries a trolleytraversing motor 25 adapted to operate the cable 26 in oppositedirections in any well known manner for moving the trolley. 21 to anyposition on the trolley runway. The shorter end of the bucket crane alsocarries a bucket hoisting motor 27 cooperating with the cable 28 forraising and. lowering the grab bucket, and with the cable 29 for openingor closing the sections thereof.

The specific construction of the various operating motors may be inaccordance with established practice and constitutes no essential partof the present invention other than the cooperation which thcrespectiveoperating parts may have in the complete apparatus.

Coinciding with the axis of rotation of the bucket crane on thesupporting arm,

is a hopper 30 adapted to receive the material unloaded by the bucket 22from the vessel V. In order to permit the operator of the bucket craneto have a full View of all of the parts at any time, irrespective of therelative positions thereof, the cab 31 may conveniently be carried bythe bucket crane at one side of and below the trolley runway 20. Thispermits the operator to observe the action of the bucket 22 in thevessel V- and the proper positioning thereof over the hopper 30. Thishopper preferably constitutes part of a weighing mechanism 32 of anywell known or standard construction by means of which the amount ofmaterial being handled may be continuously determined. From the weighingapparatus the material passes through a chute 33 to the lower end of arelatively fixed endless conveyor 34. This conveyor may conveniently beof the endless belt type having its upper run troughed, as is cusa motor35 suitably carried by the supporting arml9. The discharge end of thecontive operating conditions between the dis-.

' veyor 34: is substantially coincident with the charge end oftheconveyor and the other parts of the apparatus may be maintained.

For receiving the material from the contomary in the art, and may bedriven by ,averticalaxis adjacent the opposite side of the frame, aconveyor system adapted to receive the discharge from said unloading.crane, and means for angularly adjusting the conveyor system relativelyto said crane, said conveyor system including a plurality of hoppersoneof which is mounted substantially concentrically to each of said axes ofrotatlon.

4. In a material handling apparatus, a

frame, a supporting arm rotatably carried thereby, a crane rotatablycarried by said arm,

rotatable about axes offset one from the adjusting said frame, asuporting arm rotata said arm and crane respectively being other, meansfor delivering material from the craneto a fixed point irrespective ofthe position of the crane, means for receiving material from said pointand discharging the same to the int desired, and means for ast mentionedmeans vertically, angularly and laterally, with respect to said crane.

5. In a material handling apparatus, a frame, a supporting arm rotatablycarried thereby, an unloading crane rotatably carried by said arm, theaxis of rotation of the arm and crane being offset, a hoppersubstantially vertically positioned with respect to each of said axes, aconveyor system cooperating with saidho' pers and adapted to receive thedischarge rom said unloading crane, and means for. adjusting theconveyor-- system relatively to said crane.

6. In a material handling apparatus, a g p y carried thereby, a bucketcrane rotatably mounted ,on said arm, a relatively fixed conve orto withrespect to said crane, said 1 disposed hopper thereon,

which said crane is adapted to disc arge, po

and an adjustable trimmer receivin material from said conveyor, saidtrimmer eing vertically, angularly, and laterally adjustable, cranehaving a control housing thereon. v

. 7 Apparatus for handling material including a rotatable support, aneccentrically port rotatable concentrically to the axis of j the hopper,a delivering conveyor having an inner receiving end centrally locatedwith respect to the axis of rotation of the rotatable support, andhaving an outwardly extending discharge end, and means for transferringmaterial from the eccentric hopper to the receiving end of saiddelivering conveyor.

a crane on the sup-. 1

8. Apparatus for. handling material -in cluding a rotatable support, aneccentrically disposed hopper thereon, a crane on the supa port rotatale concentrically to the axis ot he hopper, a delivering conveyor havingan inner rece ving end centrally located with able support, and havingan outwardly extending discharge end, and means for transferring materiafrom the eccentric hopper to the receiving end of said delivering conveyor, said means including a weighing mechanism.

respect to' the ax s of rotation of the rotat- 9. Apparatus for handlingmaterial in I able relatively thereto, said conveyor having a receivingend and a discharge end, means for transferring material from the hopperto the receiving end of the conveyor irrespective of the relativepositions of the hopper and the delivering conve or. c a 10. Apparatusfor han lin material comprising a support, a rotatab e frame on thesupport pro ecting laterally from the support, a crane structure havinga horizontal beam rotatably fixed on the outer end of said rotatableframe, and a conveyor on the beam movable longitudinally therealong.

11. Apparatus for handling material comprising a support, a rotatableframe on the support pro ecting laterally from. the. support, a cranestructure having a horizontal beam rotatably-fixed on the outer end ofsaid rotatableframe and a conveyor on the beam movable longitudinallytherealong, said beam being supported from the crane structure atintervals along its length on support pro ecting laterally from thesuprt, a crane structure having a horizontal beam rotatably fixed on theouter end of said rotatable frame, a conveyor on the beam movablelongitudinally therealong, a receiving hopper at the center of rotationof the crane structure, and delivery means associated with the rotatableframe into which material from the hopper is discharged.

13."In a material handling apparatus, a C shaped frame, a supporting armrotatably carried thereby, a crane rotatably carried by 1 said arm,saidarm and .crane respectively I being rotatable about axes ofi'set onefrom the other, means including a conveyor 1n one arm of said frame fordeliveringmaterial fromv thecran'e to a fixed point irrespective of theposition of thecrane, and meansincluding a conveyor between the arms ofsaid 36 carried by a standard 37 This standard 'at its upper end isofiset and has a pivotal bearing 38 in the inner end of the upper.portion 11 of the supporting arm. At its lower end the standard 37 hassupporting wheels 39 adapted to travel on the-track way provided on thetraveling frame for the wheels 13. This standard may carry a motor 40connected to the wheels 39 for rotating the standard about its pivotalmounting. 38 to any desired angular position. As the supporting arm andthe standard both travel. on the same trackway on the frame 5, 'it willbe apparent that relatively one to the other neither the supporting armnor-the standard'can make a complete revolution, although they may besimultaneously rotated to. any desired position.

Passing through the hopper and adapted to receive material therefrom, isa loading trimmer comprising an endless conveyor 41 carried by a frame42. This frame, as clearly shown in Figure 5, has certain portionsthereof shaped to form racks 43, which racks mesh with pinions 44 onatransversely ex I tendin'g shaft 45. This shaft is adapted to be drivenby a motor 46, shown in Figure 2, adapted to drive the gear 47.

I The shaft .45 is journaled at its ends in a vertically moving frame 48carried by adjusting screws 49. The frame 48 carries trackways' 50 onwhich travel flanged wheels 51 journaled in the frame 42.and carryingthe weight ofthe frame 42 as the. trimmer conveyor: is rackedfrom itsouter full-line position as illustrated in' Figure 2 to its innerdotted-line position, or vice versa.

The vertical adjustment of-the frame'48 whereby it may cooperate with a'vessel such as V,-or a small vessel such as V", is effected by a motor52 carried by the standard 37. This motor is adapted to drive a wormwheel 53 on a shaft 54 carrying bevel gears '55 meshing with similargears'56 on the upper ends of the adjusting screws 49. The direct Icooperation between the frame 48 and the adjusting screws may beobtained by providing a, pivotally mounted nut 57 in each side of theframe 48 for receiving the adjusting screws.

.From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is provided anunloading apparatus which may be bodily moved longitudinally ofthesupporting structure, which may be bodily rotated as a unit about thetraveling frame, and which comprises an unloading device having anindependent axis of rotation and a-discharging device also independentlyrotatable, and adjustablev both laterally and vertically. All of thedifferent movements may be obtained at any desired time, and [therelative positionings' of the or other structure.

operative relationship therebetween.

parts isminimized;

In Figures 10 and 11 there is illustrated a modified form ofrtheinvention, in which the frame 5' is adapted to travel on atrackway 3which may be mounted on a wharf carries an arm 9 rotatably supportedthereon and movable to difierent positions by-a slew motor 14'. This armin turn may carry a crane 15' rotatable by means of the annular rack 17and carrying a trolley run- The traveling frame way 20. In thisembodiment, the trolley runway extends substantially equal distances onopposite sides of the pivotal axis for the crane. In this structure, therespective pivotal axes are also oflset, whereby the desired operatingflexibility of the parts is obtained.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the provision ofa'material handling apparatus'of compact construction having improvedoperating possibilities, whereby material in bulk may be directlytransbe transferred from the vessel into the sup porting barge andthence into anothervessel,

as found desirable.

ferred from one vessel into another, or may 1 mountings between therespective parts of thereof is permitted without disturbing the Iclaim':

the apparatus whereby relative adjustment a 1. In .a coal handlingapparatus, a C

shaped frame, a supporting frame carried one side of. the frame, anunloading crane vertical axis adjacent the opposite side of the frame, aconveyor system adapted. to rethereby and rotatable about an axisadjacent carried by said arm and rotatable about a l ceive the dischargefrom said unloading crane, and mejans for vertically and angular 1yadjusting :the conveyor system relatively .to said crane, said-conveyorsystem including a plurality 'of hoppers one of which; is mountedsubstantially concentrically to' each of said axes ofrotation.

2. In a coal handling apparatus a C' shaped frame, a supporting framecarried thereby'and rotatable about an axis adjacent one side of theframe, an unloading cranecarried by said arm and rotatable about avertical axis adjacent theopposite side of the frame, a conveyor system"adapted tore-' J ceive the discharge from said unloading l crane, andmeans for vertically adjusting frame for receiving material from saidpoint and discharging the same to the point desired. v

'14. In a material handling apparatus, a C shaped frame, a supportingarm rotatably carried thereby, a crane rotatably carried by 'said arm,means including a conveyor in one arm of saidv frame for deliveringmaterial from the crane to a fixed point irrespective of the position ofthe crane,

and means including a conveyor between the arms of said frame forreceiving material from said point and discharging the same to the pointdesired.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto-

